Hakan Hagegard

International Scandinavian Cultural Award
1996 Awardee

Swedish baritone Håkan Hagegård is presented with the International Scandinavian Cultural Award. One of the most accomplished and applauded performers in the musical world today, Hagegård is renowned for his performances in opera, recital, symphony and recording.

Hagegård was born November 25, 1945 in Karlstad, Sweden. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, and in Florence and London, and was catapulted to stardom while still at the Academy by his appearance as Papageno in Ingmar Bergman’s film version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

Hagegård made his American debut in 1978 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, as Malatesta in Don Pasquale and an international career followed. In 1985 he was appointed Court singer by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, and in 1993 received the distinguished “litteris et Artibus” award for outstanding work as a singer.

In 1992 Hagegård created the Hagegården Music Center, a place situated in beautiful surroundings in his native Sweden where musicians can meet, relax, study and work.